Shower curtain support



March 20, 1951 M. c. BYRNE 2,545,648

SHOWER CURTAIN SUPPORT Filed Oct. 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORZ MARK C. BYRNE BY- QQV ATTORNEY March 20, 1951 M. c. BYRNE 2,545,648

SHOWER CURTAIN SUPPORT Filed 001;. 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: FIG 8. MARK CLBYRNE 7 B 54 ZTTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 20, 1951 SHOWER CURTAIN 'snrron'r Mark C. Byrne, St. Louis, Mo.

Application October 8, 1947, Serial No. 778,536

2 Claims. (Cl. 4149) The invention relates to a support for a shower curtain for use with a tub or shower stall.

Shower curtains when in use usually hang vertically substantially the length of the tub from a bar above the tub and rigid with the walls of the room. The lower end of the curtain usually hangs inside of and contacts aside wall of the tub so thatwater from the shower falling upon the curtain drains into the tub. If the user stops the drain in the tub and permits water toaccumulate therein, the lower edge of the curtain may hang in the water and become thoroughly soaked. When the shower is no longer being used, the-upper part of the curtain dries readily,

since it is exposed to free air circulation'and water drains to the curtain lower end. The lower end because it contacts the tub, dries more slowly, or not at all, and frequently mildews and gives off unpleasant odors.

The main object of the present invention is to provide formovement of the curtain between a normal use position described above, and a drying position in which the .curtain hangs substantially unfolded and extends substantially the length of the tub with the lower end of the curtain free of contact'with the tub. To move the curtain to the latter position, its lower end may be moved upwardly, inwardly, outwardly, or in any desired combination of these movements.

Another object is to convert existing rigidly mounted shower curtain supports to the teachings of the present invention.

These and other detail objects will be appar ent to those skilled in the art from the following description and accompanyin drawings in which:

Figure l is a transverse vertical section through a tub and shower curtain and shows one form of the invention, the curtain being shown in position for use in solid lines and in drying position in dot-dash lines.

Figure 2 is in part a detail side view and in part a vertical section, taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Figure 3, of the support shown in Figure 1 and drawn to enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is'in part a front view and in part a vertical section taken approximately 011 the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective of the support base.

Figures 5 and 7 are transverse vertical sections taken approximately on line 5-5 of Figure 6 and on line 1-1 of Figure 8, respectively, and. show other forms of the invention.

Figure 6 is a front view of the support shown g ends on a bracket H.

2 in Figure 5 and a portion of the shower curtain supported thereby.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal vertical section taken approximately on the line 88 of Figure '7.

In Figure 1 is shown a bath tub I having side walls 2 and 3 and end walls 4 (only one being shown). A shower head 5 is supported by a wall 6 of the bath room. Valves 1 control the flow of water from shower head 5. The structure described in itself does not constitute the present invention.

In Figures 1 to 4, shower curtain 8 is supported by rings 9 from a rod in mounted at each-of its Bracket ll comprises a base I2, attached rigidly to wall 6 by screws Hot, and a swinging arm I3 pivoted thereto by a locking bolt M and mounting rod Ill. 1

Arm I3 swings vertically in the direction of the arrow (Figures 1 and 2) about pivot bolt l4 and provides for movement of rod lo and curtain 8 between a normal use position, (shown in solid lines in Figure 1) in which the lower end of the curtain hangs within the tub and contacts side wall 2 and a drying position, (shown in dot-dash lines in Figure l) in which the curtain is moved inwardly and upwardly relative to the tub and its lower end is free of contact therewith. When curtain 8 is in use position, arm I3 is suspended vertically from base l2 and when curtain 8. is in drying position arm I3 is inclined upwardly and inwardly of the tub. Arm [3 is held in the latter position by its engagement with a projection I5 on base I2. The length of arm I3 and the angle of its movement relative to base l2 may be varied as desired as long as the lower end of curtain 8 in drying position does not contact side wall 2 of tub I.

In Figures 5 and 6, a hollow box-like housing 2| is attached rigidly to a room wall 22 at each end of a tub (not shown) by screws 23. Housing 2| has side walls 24, 25, end walls 26, 21 and top and bottom walls 28, 29. Housing side wall'24 is detachably secured to the housing by screws 33 and .isslotted longitudinally at 3|.

A shower curtain 32 is attached to a rod 33 by rings 34. A member 35, attached to each end of rod 33 by a screw 36, is slidably received in slot 3| of wall 24 so that rod 33 and curtain 32 may be moved the length of slot 3|. The end of member 35 has a flange 31 larger than the width of slot 3| to prevent accidental withdrawal of member 35 therefrom.

Housing 2! preferably is positioned above the tub so that when member 35 and rod 33 are at one end of slot 3| the lower end of curtain 32 contacts the inside portion of the side of the tub, and when member 35 and rod 33 are at the opposite end of slot 3| curtain 32 is positioned inwardly of the tub and its lower end does not contact the tub.

Member 35 is assembled to housing 2| by removing the member from rod 33 and inserting the small end of the member through slot 3| in housing side wall 24 while the side wall is separated fromthe remainder of the housing. Side wall 24 and member 35 then may be assembled to housing 2| and rod 33, respectively.

Shower curtain rods and supporting brackets used heretofore and mounted rigidly on the walls at the ends of the tub may be used with housing 2| by cutting away the upper and lower portions of the bracket flange similarly to member 35. Housing 2| may be set in a recess in the room wall as shown so that the same length rod may be used, or housing 2| may be mounted on the surface of the wall and the. rod may be shortened.

In Figures 7 and 8, curtain supporting rod 40 comprising a metal tube 40a and a wooden core 40b has a roller -4|- rotatably mounted at each of he ends by a. screw 42. Roller M is received in a boxrlike housing 43 having a body 44. and a cap 45 fitting over one endof body 44. Inwardly extending titsv 46 on the. capare. received in recesses 4'1 in thebod-y and. secure the cap thereto. A. side. 48. of body 44 and the. associated side wall 49 of cap 45 are slotted at 53 to receive screw 42. Boiler 4i preferably is larger in diameter than the width of slot 59 to maintain assemblyof rod 40 and housing 43. Also slot 53 preferably is narrower than the diameter of rod 40 to lateral movement of roller 4| within housing 43 toward the supporting wall.

Housing 43 preferably is positioned above the tub- :(not shown) so that when roller 4| and rod 40- are at one end of housing 43., the lower end of the curtain (not shown) contacts the side of the tub; When roller 4| and rod 46 are at the opposite end- 03 housing 43, the curtain is moved inwardly of the tub and its lower end does not contact/the. tub. roller Iii moves from one end ot housing '43 to the other, the roller rolls on the inner surface of bottom wall 5|. Upward projections: 52 near the ends of the inner face of bottom wall 5| engage roller M in the positions described: and prevent accidental movement of the: curtain from one position to another.

Rod 40% and roller 4| are assembled to housing 4.3 by inserting the roller in the open end of body 44: cap 45 is removed. Cap 45 then is assembled tobody 44- to. prevent accidental withdrawalof roller 41 from the body.

If desired roller 4| may be assembled rigidly to red- 40- and slot 50 may be. wide enough to receive rod :49 but narrower than the diameter of roller 4|. With this arrangement rod 40 rotates with-roller 4t and within the curtain supporting rings.

Housing 2| of Figures- .5 and 6 and housing 4.3 of Figures 7 and 8 are interchangeable and may be used with either structure shown in these ifigures. It may be desirable to incline housings 2| and 43 on the associated walls so that the rod and curtain move rearwardly and upwardly.

With the arrangements described, the lower part of the curtain will dry readily when it is moved to drying position and will not mildew and give ofi unpleasant odors.

The details of construction may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the exclusive use. of those modifications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a bath tub having a side wall, bracket bases substantially directly above the ends of said side wall, a swinging member pivoted to each of said bases, a support extending between the swinging ends of said members, a shower curtain suspended therefrom, said swinging member being movable between a position in which said swinging member is suspended substantially vertical-1y from base member, and the lower end of the curtain contacts the Inner iace of said wall, and a position which said member is inclined from the bracket upwardly and inwardly of the and the lower end of the curtain is raised relative to and moved from said; and a pro jec'ti'llg element. on one of said members engaging the other member and maintainingxsaid swinging member in the latter position,

2. In combination, a bath tub :an elongated side wall, .a vertically disposed shower curtain, a substantially horizontal rod. supporting said curtain above said tub. with the curtain disposed substantially the entire length of the tub, a bracket supporting each end of said rod and providing for movement of said rod; and said curtain between a normal usev position, in which the rod is: substantially directly above said wall and the lower end of said curtain. hangs and contacts. a. portion or said wall, and a drying position in said rod is moved inwardly of the tub its normal-position and is substantially parallel to. its. use position, and the. lower end of said curtain is spaced inwardly from said tub.

C. BYRNE.

Resonances orrnn The following references are or" record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS slurnher blame. Date 876,672 Williams Jan. 14, 1908 1,143,970 King Aug; 1915 1,343,234 Sehenk June-15, 1920 1,443,753 McClure Jan. .36, 1923 1,732,798 Falzer Oct. 22, 1929 1,895,793 Hagedorn Jan. 31, 1933 2,611,662 Thompson Aug;'20,,1'935 2,094,540 Kirchen Sept. '28, 1937 2,330,665 Morris July 31,. 1.945 

